Phoenix wings: Life, Love and Gangs
by Super Awesome Chicken Duck
Summary: Max is in a gang and is abused by Jeb. Max moves to live with her Mom. There she meets Fang. Nudge her stepsister decides she wants to join a gang. None can know about Max's gang, will Nudge's decision threaten that? AU,no wings R&R PLZ!Rating may change
1. Chapter 1

_**Enjoy!**_

_**So Max and Angel are one family. Then there is Fang and his twin Iggy. Then there is Max's step sister Nudge and her brother Gazzy.**_

_**Max is in a gang and gets abused by Jeb. The only reason why she doesn't fight back is because of Angel her little sister. What happens when Max moves to the other side of town to live with her Mom? What will Max do when she meets Fang? What is going to happen when Nudge decides that she wants to join a gang? **_

_**Jam P owns MR not me.**_

Max POV

"YOU BITCH!! GET UP!!"

Isn't that a wonderful way to be woken?

I jack-knifed into a sitting position. Not cool. I put a hand to my head, trying to stop the world spinning. Oww. Note to self: don't sit up suddenly when you haven't eaten for a while and you spent the night getting punched in the head.

Swinging my legs over onto the floor, I stood up stretching. I checked the bandages on my knuckles. They were clean, the wound wasn't pussy, seeping or bleeding and it certainly didn't look infected. I flexed them, noting the pain but not reacting to it. They cracked and I couldn't help but be reminded of the sound that the guy's jaw made when my fist connected.

I ran a hand through my hair and shook my head erasing all thoughts about last night. Throwing on a sports bra and running shorts I rushed outside.

"See ya Mom!" I said the photo frame. Yes I know I have a photo of my Mom in my bedroom. I never see Mom anymore. She moved out, got married and now has a darling new family including 3 new kids. I like them all apart from the fact that I never get to see them.

I snuck out onto the landing. You are probably wondering why in the middle of the morning I am sneaking around in my own house. It's because Jeb – oops sorry DAD – is here somewhere probably passed out with a beer clutched in his hand and a huge hangover to end all hangovers. Either that impatiently tapping his foot waiting for my hangover remedy.

"OI! GET UP AND GET ME THE HANGOVER REMEDY!!!"

I never ever understood how Jeb was able to yell his head off when he had a massive hangover. I suppose its just evidence of how mad and insane and stupid he is.

Yup it's the second one. I immediately stopped trying to sneak out and fetched the hangover remedy from the medicine cabinet. I knocked on Jeb's bedroom door.

"What?!"

"I have the hangover remedy"

Come on in. I opened the door just in time to see a pair of women rush out, carrying various items of clothing, with a look of disgust on their faces.

A foul, putrid stench invaded my nostrils. Jeb had probably puked all over the room and guess who was going to be cleaning it up? If you guessed moi then you receive absolutely nothing!!!

As I predicted Jeb was passed out in his own vomit. I considered, like I did every morning, leaving him like that and letting him choke on his own vomit. But like I did every morning I didn't. I rolled him over, emptying his airways, sponging down his face, chucking the sheets in the wash.

You are all probably wondering why. Why would I do this to the man who has beaten me since I was 1? I ask myself that question. Truth be told, I don't actually know why. I guess it is because just a little part of me believes that he truly loves me and this is the only way he knows how to show it.

Whatever the reason, I tied up after him, making his bed, tucking him in said bed, putting the remedy and a glass of orange juice on the bed beside him. I kissed my kid sister, Angel, waking her up and making breakfast for her. Angel is the reason why I don't run or stand up to him, even though I could take him with my hands tied behind my back and with him sober. I know that if I don't take his beatings then Angel would get them and I refuse to let him touch my little sis.

"Ugh!!!!!!Shit!!!"

We heard a groan from upstairs. It was only small but we knew that Jeb was so close to waking up and when he did he would go around destroying everything, trying to get rid off the hangover.

"Angel, is all your stuff packed in that trunk?"

She gasped and ran upstairs to feverishly try to pack away anything that was precious to her. I did the same. Everything went into the chests, clothes, food, anything that we owned. I placed the photo of my Mum inside the trunk last, closing the lid gently. I looked at the battered cases. I had found them and dragged them home after Jeb destroyed everything we ever owned in a drunken rampage. They were wood lined with iron and so heavy that even a very fit healthy man could lift it. It took me 5 hours with a car.

"GIRL!"

I could hear him stomping now. He had gotten up, taken the hangover remedy and was now looking for me to blame for his pounding headache.

I stayed still, praying that he would go back or pass out or give up or something!

I heard a whimper from the room next door. Angel! I ran out into her bedroom to see him holding her shirt, fist pulled back threateningly.

"Tell me where she is!" he yelled spit flying everywhere and his beer breath wafting over her. She shook her head and he shoved her backwards against the wall. Angel cried in pain and sunk to the ground.

I was going to kill him.

I leapt forward swinging my fist and catching him unawares smashed it into his jaw. I heard the bone snap and break and I knew that I had hit the right spot. He slumped to the ground unconscious but not before he saw me.

I would be in for it this evening.

I raced over to my Angel.

"Sweetie, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just winded" she tried to put on a smile.

She looked over to where he was lying, unconscious.

"Max! Did you do that?"

"Yeah", I saw her starting to speak, "I know sweetie, but I would rather he hurt me than you"

We stayed there like that just holding each other, comforting each other, nobody saying anything but both of us were thinking how much shit I was going to be in tonight.

"Hey, let's go get ice cream"

I executed lightening fast punches and kicks on the BOB, dancing from step to step. I pretended that it was Jeb, my good for nothing Father.

I spent hours at the gym, never stopping,, never resting, until finally I could feel the sweat rolling down my back and my breath was starting to come in short gasps.

I arrived home to see the TV flickering in the living room and the pile of dirty beer bottles on the coffee table.

I silently opened the door. _Please don't let them hear me, _I prayed as I walked past the living room. I stepped on the first step. No reaction. Same with the second and the third. Every step I took I was so sure he was going to come out with his bloody beer in his hand and his breath stinking out the entire bloody house.

I reached the top of the stairs. I put my foot on the last step…and guess what happened? It went CREAK! I swore under my breath.

"That you, sweetheart?" He questioned.

"Yes" I replied continuing my way to my bedroom, my place of solace.

That was not a good move. Jeb had probably had twice the amount of beer as normal (it reeked in here), from the look of his eyes he was probably on some kind of drug and he had just got fired so he and his friends were having 'celebratory' drinks. Anyway for whatever reason, he went off his rocker. Plus if you add me punching him unconscious and breaking his jaw into the mix then he was pretty pissed. Speaking of the jaw, it was nearly funny seeing it all bandaged up.

"Don't you YES me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He roared slapping my cheek. My cheek stung and I had a feeling that it would be bruised by the end of this. I was shocked into silence. Sure he hit me but generally he hit me in places that people wouldn't see and he had never hit me in front of people.

I maintained my silence. I refused to give him the satisfaction of a reaction.

"ANSWER ME YOU BITCH!!!!"

I still maintained my silence. He punched me in the stomach, breaking my ribs. Each punch was perfectly in time with his words.

"DON'T!"

Punch.

"IGNORE!"

Punch.

"ME!"

Punch.

"YOU!"

Punch.

"WORTHLESS PIECE OF SHIT!"

I was on my knees now, feeling every broken rib.

I couldn't help it. It was just reflex. But when the next kick came I rolled out of the way.

"Dodging my blows now are you? Trying to fight back? We all know what happens when you fight back" a malicious grin spread across his face and he grabbed Angel by the elbow. He forced her to the ground holding onto her hair. He pulled back his fist ready to bring it crashing down onto Angel's head.

"No sir. I'm not trying to fight back" I bowed to him and this took all of my pride, I begged him, "Please let her go"

He pushed her roughly aside and I used my fingers to indicate that she should leave and call somebody.

She ran upstairs and climbed down the tree outside Dad's window.

"Huh. Sent her to get help have you? To bad that you will already be dead by the time help comes"

He picked me up by hair and punched me repeatedly in the face. Things were getting hazy but I still had enough consciousness left to feel the sickening pain and hear the snap as he stepped on my leg.

I blacked out.

_**Sorry it's kind of depressing but there will be Fax in the next chapter!! **_

_**If you guys want one.**_

_**Tell me whether I should continue**_

_***BeKa***_


	2. Chapter 2

_**I don't own MR.**_

_**I hate having to say that, it crushes my heart every time. **_

_**Oh yeah a bit of need to know info. The town is divided into East and West. They are constantly feuding. East people never ever go into the West unless they want to be beaten up and vice versa. There is separate schools and everything. The only thing that is shared is the hospital.**_

_**Thanks to:**_

**_Starr33_**

_**XXNumbXX**_

**_SoulNinjas_**

**_paro4peace_**

_**freedomofabirdswings**_

_**beneath the menoa tree**_

_**shannon: you are going to have to wait for the next chapter to meet them (this chapter was getting to be too long to have introductions) but yes Ella is her half sister then there are Nudge and Gazzy who are her step siblings. **_

_**Asidill**_

_**HalesXxGriffiths**_

_**Dingo727: I would give her another sibling but she's already got Angel, Ella her half sister, Nudge her stepsister, Gazzy her step brother, so really I don't know who else or how I'm gonna slot them in at this time – wait a minute! I do actually, so sometime she might possibly get one.**_

_**JASPERxHALE-YES**_

_**midnightAlixe13**_

_**babiixilyx3 **_

_**You guys are awesome!!!!!!!**_

'_**Kay ill shut up now and let you read the story.**_

Iggy POV

I was doing my homework when this little girl with bright blue eyes and blonde hair comes running up to me. She skidded to a halt, hands on knees catching her breath.

"Can you please help?"

My immediate thought was no. But then I grow curious as to who the hell this girl is. I have never seen her around school before and everybody in the neighbor hood goes to that school. She must be a west ender.

"What with?" I ask cautiously.

"My sister. She's getting beaten up by my father" she explained.

What?! Even though she may be a west-ender I still wasn't going to let her be beaten up by her family.

"Wait a moment!" I yelled grabbing Fang my brother's keys and shrugging on a jacket.

"Fang! I'm going out!"

Fang appeared at the top of the stairs. "Who is that?" He nodded at the little girl.

"I'm Angel. I'm 7. I asked him to help my sister"

I gulped. Fang knows everybody. He knows them, he just doesn't pay any attention to them.

"Right, I'm off" I said shepherding Angel out the door before he could realise.

"Iggy"

Too late. Fang's voice would have sent shivers down my spine if I had not grown up around it. You know how some people have a very heated disapproving voice, yeah Fang doesn't have that type of voice. Fang's is like the artic tundra, emotionless and icy cool.

"Yes brother dearest?"

"You are going to the west end part of town, aren't you?"

"Yup" Angel popped the 'p', "Can we go now?"

She grabbed my hand suddenly, "Can we please go?"

"Hold on" I said. That seemed to satisfy her and she ran out the door.

"You are going to the west end!" he hissed.

I put my hands up in a 'stop' gesture. "I have my reasons"

"What rea-" he began to speak but got cut off by the roar of our car starting. I patted my pocket. No keys.

We both raced outside to see Angel all innocent sitting in the backseat of the car, the engine running.

"Can we go now?" she asked tugging on my sleeve.

I hopped into the car. Fang got into the driver's seat, with me looking at him like he was crazy.

"What? I'm not letting you go to the west all by yourself"

As the car started moving so did the 20 questions.

"Why did you come here instead of to the other people in the west end?" I asked curious to know the answer.

"It's been going on for a long time. We used to get help lots but the next day someone close to person who helped us would be in hospital. The neighbors stay away even if they hear screaming. They are too afraid to help"

"How the hell did you manage to pickpocket Iggy?"

Angel shrugged, "Nobody suspects a little girl especially when I tell them that my name is Angel. Plus my sister taught me how to do it"

"Why are we going to the _west_?" Fang spat the word out.

"Because my sister is getting beaten up by my father, now put your foot on the pedal and floor it!" Angel yelled.

Shocked that that a 7 year old actually shouted at him, Fang did as he was told and floored it.

Fang POV

We arrived a few minutes later in the west.

"There" Angel pointed at a house that would have been a very nice house if it wasn't so run down. As I got out the smell of beer over powered me.

"Ugh!" Iggy put a hand over his nose trying and failing to block out the smell.

I looked at Angel to see how she was handling the horrible smell. But she was acting as if she was walking through a field of flowers. I guess she was used to it.

She merely pushed the door open swiftly so it didn't creak. I heard Iggy merely gag at the smell. Raucous laughter filled the air.

"You're too late. That bitch is as good as dead"

Tears threatened, but Angel refused to let them fall. She merely beckoned to us and passed the room where her dad and his friends were.

There was a girl lying in the hallway.

"Max!"

Angel rushed over to her the tears finally falling. We both followed. The girl had long blonde hair just like her sister. She was an angel. Beautiful. She had a hot body but that just made her look more beautiful and more like an angel. Whoa! Where the hell did that come from?

"Iggy check her wounds"

He ran his fingers over her wounds, listing them as he went. "Most of her ribs are broken, her leg is broken, and her facial bones are broken. She has lots of bruises, it's almost like some one pushed down the stairs. She has a knife wound in her stomach that is very new, still bleeding. Her knuckles are damaged, bruised and cut almost like she retaliated" As he continued the list I felt myself grow increasingly more angry.

"How the hell could someone do something like this?!" Especially an an- a girl I mean.

"How long has this been going on for?!" Iggy asked.

"15 years" a voice laced with pain spoke up. We looked at Max lying on the floor. She was awake but her eyes were tightly closed. I closed my eyes and clenched my fists. Somebody had done this everyday for 15 years to this an- I give up – angel.

"Did he hurt you, Sis?"

Angel shook her head, "No" she whispered.

"Good" Max smiled slightly before fainting from the pain again.

"She's gotta go to a hospital" Iggy said his voice laced with fear and worry.

"Right" I whipped out my phone and called for an ambulance.

Max POV

I woke up in a hospital bed. Everything was white. I absolutely hate the colour white. It just annoys me I don't know why.

It's the same with the smell of antiseptic.

Angel was lying on the edge of my bed and Ella my half sister was sleeping in the chair.

Angel stirred and opened her eyes. "MAX!" she cried throwing her arms around me.

"Hey sweetie" I said trying not to let the pain as she collided with my broken ribs show.

"Angel. Give her room" Ella said pulling her off me, "The boys who saved you want to talk to you"

Two guys walked in as they walked out. Both of them were really tall. One had spiky strawberry-blonde hair with a hoop in one ear and pale skin. The other had olive skin, deep brown eyes and long black hair that fell over his eyes. He was really hot and super familiar.

"Hey. You look better than the last time we saw you" the first one said, "I'm James by the way. Sometimes called Jam or Iggy depending on who you ask. The dark, depressing, not talkative one is Nathanial my brother. He's called Nate or Fang. Don't ask about the nicknames"

Wow, this guy is a talker.

Fang nodded and we both rolled our eyes. I could grow to like these kids.

"Thanks"

"MAXIMUM!!!"

Thom my friend came running in his face bright red with anger. Iggy and Fang both looked startled. I laughed. They had every right to be. Thom was really, really big. Not big because he was all fat but big because he was all muscle. Plus he was really tall. He is about 6 foot 7. Now combine that with a skin head and tattoos and what do you get?

One very scary guy.

"Why did you not tell me!"

"Big guy calm down" I said making calming motions with my hands.

"Why! I could have protected you! Beaten the guy up! Why didn't you fight back!"

"I did Thom! At the beginning I did everything I could to protect myself but when I was asleep he would come in and beat up Angel. When I was younger he would just come in and beat me up even more. It was better if I didn't retaliate"

Both boys expected me to cry but I didn't. Thom gave me a hug and then a knuckle punch. He kissed me on the head and left.

"I gotta go. I have work" he said as he left. Which left me, Iggy and Fang in a very awkward situation.

"Boyfriend?" Iggy asked. Fang seemed to become furious at this suggestion.

"Nah. Best friend. He has been for years. He always does that though"

Fang seemed to relax at this. Weird.

"If you didn't retaliate, then how did you get those injuries on your knuckles?"

"I got into a fight at school" I lied. Did I mention I have a knack for lying? I can lie with a completely straight face.

"About?"

I was saved from answering by Mom walking into the room. She had puffy and bloodshot eyes indicating that she had been crying and had gotten almost zero sleep. Mom and me look hardly anything alike. I have blonde hair, pale skin and brown eyes whereas she has brown hair, tan skin and brown eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"You seemed so happy with your family. I didn't want to intrude on that," Mom went to say something but I held up my hand to stop her and carried on speaking, "When I was younger I went to you after a particularly bad beating and I got turned away by your husband. That is why no matter how bad it got, I refused to let you know"

Mom ran out of the room and confronted her husband. I could here the shouting from my room and immediately felt guilty for telling her.

"MOM!!" I yelled trying to get her attention while climbing out of the hospital bed. Iggy and Fang tried to keep me down but I merely punched them both and they staggered backwards.

I hopped to the doorway. Doing this was taking up most of my energy.

"Mom…Don't" I said as I started swaying side to side and my vision started to go dark at the edges. I heard somebody shouting for a Nurse as Fang and Iggy dragged me back to the bed. There was a sharp prick in my arm as somebody injected a drug into my system.

This is why I don't like white. It reminds me of needles and needles remind me of hospitals. And every time I come to a hospital something bad happens.

Like this time.

_**Review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**_

_**Tell me your thoughts so I can improve it!!!!**_

_**Plz? **_

_***BeKa***_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Sorry it took me so long. End of term tests and things like that but here we are new chapter!!!!!!!!!!**_

_**I love everybody who reviewed and thanks guys!!!!!!!!!! I seriously didn't expect that many!!!!!!!!!!!!!**_

_**I think you know by now that I don't own MR. **_

Max POV

_A week later I got released from the hospital. I was kept for so long because of the bloody knife wound. Seriously it wasn't that bad and getting it treated caused a lot of questions mainly from Iggy and the Doctors. _

_Thom was there to help, every one else was shocked as he lifted me into the 4-wheel drive without breaking a sweat. He kissed my head and laughed as Kitty, Blair, Yani, Micah, Elliot, Jon announced their approach. _

"_MAX!!!!!!!!!!!!"_

_I loved my friends. Tears came to my eyes as I realised that I wasn't going to be able to see them any more. We would be enemies. _

"_Don't follow guys!" I yelled out the window. They followed anyways. _

_We drove through the borders and they did too. Everybody held their breath as they drove through. I suppose we were all waiting, just waiting for them to be attacked. The East gangs were notorious for guarding this side of the Seam. _

_We arrived at Mom's house. It was a huge house with 6 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms. Mom built it with 6 bedrooms just in case I came around. _

"_Here we are!" Mom announced as she pulled into the drive way. _

_Jon and Elliot jumped out of the back of the Ute they had all driven here shouting, "Hah! We are going to beat you!!" _

_They helped me out of the car and did a little victory booty shake. Don't ask me why. My friends are the definition of weird __**(A/N my friends really are the definition of weird)**__. They are really weird. _

_Kitty grabbed my crutches out of the boot while Blair whisked me away from under the noses of Jon and Elliot and carried me up the stairs. _

"_Hey! No fair!" They yelled as they chased me and Blair all around the lawn. Laughter filled the air as Yani, Kitty and Micah all spilt their sides laughing. _

_A gunshot ripped through the air, shattering the laughter and the peace. It embedded itself into Blair's shoulder. Another one killed Tim. _

_Slowly by slowly the bullets shattered the air killing each of my friends. One by one they fell, staining the perfect home red. _

_My friends were all dead because of me._

I jolted awake screaming, my heart pumping erratically, tears pouring down my face. I wildly looked around the room. It wasn't my room at Jeb's house and it wasn't the hospital room. It finally registered in my brain that I was in Mom's house. All my friends followed and all my friends left alive.

Gazzy POV

The screaming coming from the end of the hall woke me up. Puzzled I got up and walked down the hall, my feet padding on the carpet.

Light was flowing from underneath the door of one Dr M's spare bedrooms. That was weird. The only person that should be in there would be her daughter.

I gently pushed the door open to see a beautiful girl sitting up in bed.

At the sound she whipped her head around and jumped into a fighting position. Or a least she tried to. She gave a cry of pain and fell backwards clutching her leg. It was only then that I realised that she had her leg in a cast.

I ran over to help her back onto the bed.

"Hey. I'm Alex" I said sitting down on her bed, "But you can call me Gazzy"

She nodded and said, "Maximum Ride, but I go by Max"

"Awesome name!" So that was why she didn't question my weird nickname.

"You are my step sister, right?" I asked a slight tremor in my voice.

"Yeah. Your step mom is my mom" she said, "Angel my sister though isn't related to you at all. She's the daughter of my father from one of his relationships. Her Mom died when she was really young so most likely she will come live with you guys"

"Oh. Yeah I have a sister called Monique. We call her Nudge though. Don't ask"

I yawned and my blue eyes started flickering, "Night"

She saw me falling sleep and pulled me close, "I'll see you in the morning. Good night squirt"

"Good night, Max"

I didn't feel her slide out of the bed later in the night. I was out like a light.

Max POV

Thom woke me with a shake.

"Whaa?" I said intelligently. Hey you can't blame me! I was doped on up pain killers, felt like crap and was tired as hell.

He put a finger to his lips telling me to be silent, "Meeting." He whispered in my ear as he lifted me off the bed.

He passed me to Blair who was waiting in the giant tree outside Nudge's window. She moaned in her sleep slightly and everybody paused in the middle of the operation. But she remained asleep and everybody continued on.

Blair passed me to Jon and Elliot while he climbed down the tree with Thom following him. They put me on the back seat of the car and drove to the meeting area.

Normally I don't go to these things, but they asked for me in person so I have to go. Otherwise I run the risk of offending them and making matters worse.

"Here" Thom passed me a hoodie with a huge hood.

"It's going to be problematic if they see your face in the neighbor hood and recognize you as our leader." They explained when they saw my annoyed and questioning expression.

I put it on grudgingly. They had a point. But it still made me feel like a coward, like I was hiding something.

The meeting area is in a different place each time and it alternates between East and West.

This time it was in a squat. How nice.

Thom carried me in and all the East people laughed.

"The Great Jinx, had to be carried in? Who could beat you, oh great one?" Mocked the second in command Blade.

Yeah, we don't know their real names, we only know their gang names.

"Shut the hell up, Blade" Thom growled out.

"Or what?" He snarled.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!!!!!!!!" That sure got their attention, "Is there a point to this meeting? Or can I go home and sleep now?"

They all looked at me silently.

"Well?!"

Everybody remained silent.

"Right. Meeting has ended"

Thom lifted me up as a knife flew through the air embedding itself in his arm. Jane was standing at the end of the table knifes in her hand. Blade and the other members were shouting at her.

"What the hell?!" Thom asked as he dropped me into Jon's waiting arms. Jon grabbed my crutches and stood me up.

"HOW DARE YOU DISRESPECT BLADE!!!!!!!!!!!" Oh dear, another love struck girl who joined the gang because of a boy.

She hurled knives at us. She seemed pretty good but that was until I looked at her closely. Her hands were shaking and she didn't have good grip on the knives. Although she was hurting us, I doubt she had very good aim. She didn't seem like the type of girl who would be capable of hurting someone.

"How long have you been using those knives? 4, 5 weeks at the most? I must say well done. Although what makes you think you are able to call your self a knife thrower? Your aim is off. Your hands are shaking. You hold the knife incorrectly with no grip at all."

"I'm going to give you one piece of advice girl. Get out before you get in too deep."

She seemed to get enraged by this. "I LOVE BLADE. I WILL ALWAYS BE PART OF THE GANG AND PART OF HIS LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Anybody else seeing a recurring theme here?

"I challenge you Jinx to a fight"

The room was silent. What did Jane think she was doing fighting the leader when said leader was injured?

Then the room erupted into a chaos of noise as my gang protested.

"You can't do that!"

"She's injured!"

"What's the point? You are going to lose anyway!"

I held up a hand to stop the noise. "It's okay. I'm going to fight."

They all stood to the edge of the room. Jane was at one end with her knives. I was at the other with my crutches. We are allowed to have weapons but I decided on my crutches. I would make a point to this girl and to the rest of her gang.

She charged at me with a battle cry. Battle cry, seriously? They are not cool any more. I stuck out my crutch and she being a ditz fell over it. I sucked in a breath as I put a little bit of weight on my leg but as soon as I put my crutch back down it was all good.

I wish.

She jumped back with a growl holding her knives ready. She struck again and again. I blocked each one with my crutch while holding on to the table. Every step caused immense pain to my leg.

_Pain is just a message_, I kept repeating. I was holding all messages.

She pinned me against the table with a knife to my throat. "Forfeit." she whispered.

"You know this has been fun and all but it's getting kind of old." I grinned and narrowed my eyes, "Time to get serious."

I brought up my crutch and slammed it between her legs. It would work better if she was a guy but guess what? It still hurts for girls.

She straightened and attempted to plunge one of her knives into my collarbone. I grabbed her hand and whispered, "You really shouldn't have begun this fight."

She punched me in the ribs. It hurt so badly, but they didn't know that I had broken my ribs. I kept my cool and mask stayed on. Nobody had any idea of the amount of pain I was in.

_Pain is just a message. _

I punched her in the ribs repeatedly hearing the bones snap, feeling them break under my fist.

She got a lucky punch in and hit my ribs. I hissed in pain.

My own ribs started to remind me of who I acted like. Jeb. I turned away in disgust at myself.

"This fight is over." I declared walking away. Well hobbling away using my crutches.

She kicked one of my legs and I crumpled to the ground holding onto the table for support. I twisted myself around and swept her off her feet using my crutches. She fell to the ground. I stood up, pain radiating through out my entire body.

_PAIN IS JUST A MESSAGE._

She straightened and I punched her in the jaw. I heard it crack and a felt a few teeth come loose. She stumbled backwards and I pushed at her broken ribs with my crutch making her fall over backwards. She landed on the floor groaning in pain.

I limped over to her and looked down at her. "Get out before it's too late"

My vision was starting to go black and fuzzy at the edges. The pain was starting to overwhelm me.

My gang rushed to my side and picked me up carrying me out to the car.

"WHY DID YOU DO THAT MAX?!" Thom roared.

"Pain is just a message" I whispered.

Elliot handed me water with some pain killers. I downed that just before every thing went black.

_So there you are brand new chapter. Sorry if the fight scene was a little bit unbelievable. I was running out of ideas and I really felt like writing another fight scene so I wrote this one. _

_REVIEW PLZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Sorry peoples! I was going to answer your questions last time but I forgot soooooooooo…**_

_**tearsXsolitude: yep!! But its going to get more complicated for Max**_

_**Starr33: Thom, well I needed a name and I decided on Tom but I thought I'd spell it that way. It's spelt that way in The Song of the Lioness. Well you know from last chapter that Max is the leader of the West but Fang and everybody else in the East has never seen her face. As for Iggy and Fang you will have to wait. = P**_

_**paro4peace: Okay well she punched some guys jaw but the actual identity of the owner will be revealed soon when she goes back to school. Oh and in regards to her step-father there is a reason for what he did. You learn that later.**_

I was lying crashed on Elliot's bed. Everybody else was lying on the floor crashing as well I presume. Ouch. I tried to sit up but my healing ribs shot an arrow of pain through my body.

"Don't." A hand landed on my shoulder and pushed me back onto the bed, "Lie down and stay still."

I looked up to see Andrea, Thom's sister. Andrea is in Med school. She knows all about us and the Gang. She's our home doctor. We all hate the hospital, it raises questions that we prefer not to deal with. So if we get injured we come to Andrea. She doesn't tell anybody about the gangs and in return we don't tell anybody that she works at the local stripper club.

It's a good deal.

"How is it?"

"Pretty good. You didn't stuff anything up too badly, although you should never again get into a fight when you are already injured. You idiot!"

She gave me a quick hug, happy that I hadn't injured myself too badly. She wrinkled her nose though as she looked down. My clothed were crumpled, dirty and covered in dust from the squat as well as some of Jane's blood.

"You wanna borrow some clothes?"

I nodded. I really thought it was a good idea until I looked in Andrea's closet.

Fang POV

"Nate get up! We are going to Valencia's!" My mom yelled as she knocked on my door.

I just rolled over and went back to sleep, trying desperately to hold onto the image that was imprinted on the back of my eyelids. Max. She was so beautiful.

"Don't make me come in there!"

I continued sleeping (and trying).

"Don't make me put Goose on you!!!!!!"

That got me up.

"I'm up Mom!!!" I yelled just as the sound of quacking filled the air.

Yeah you heard me right. QUACKING. That's what I said. Goose is our pet duck. We were going to call him Duck but we thought that was too unoriginal. So we picked Goose. Dr M ran out of places at her vet so she asked my mom to take him in while his wing healed. He got WAY too attached to us so he never left.

Iggy came into the room laughing, "She threatened to set Goose on you did she?"

I nodded. He was used to my silence.

"Any idea what's going on?" Iggy asked as Mom propelled us out the door.

"Not a clue."

So that was how I ended up on Dr M's porch at 11 o'clock at night, with my Mom continuously ringing the door bell.

Ella opened the door, a worried expression plastered on her face.

"My mom's in the living room," she said opening up the door and letting us in.

Dr M turned her head at the sound of the door opening and we all saw her worried tear streaked face. Mom immediately ran over to her best friend and started comforting her.

"What happened Dr M?" Iggy asked.

"It's my daughter I don't know where she is."

"Maybe she's just out late." I offered.

"She hasn't been here all morning. According to Gazzy they both fell asleep on her bed but when he woke up she wasn't there. Nobody has seen her since."

"I'm scared that she left because I left her Jeb's when she was one." Dr M said breaking out in a fresh wave of tears.

A honk and the drunk shouting of teenagers shattered the serious atmosphere.

"Hey pretty thing!"A boy yelled his, words slurring.

We all rushed to the window. Max was standing with Jon, Thom and some random older girl I didn't know. They stood on every side of Max protecting her. It reminded me of a gang, it was like they were watching and guarding her against danger.

"Ditch those guys and come with us."

They all just started walking ignoring the drunk idiots.

"We can have lots of fun." The guy said grinning, in a so-called seductive voice. The silver scar on his cheek gleamed in the moonlight and I immediately recognized him.

Ty.

Ty was in the gang until he deserted and formed his own gang. He was apparently the higher race of people. Just think of a teenaged boy with Hitler's attitude then you get Ty.

"No thanks." Max said.

A man grabbed her arm pulling her against him. His smile was warm and friendly but he couldn't hide the eyes that were as cold as ice.

Ice. He too was part of the gang until he followed Ty.

Jon's arm snaked around her waist and tugged her back. Only I could see her wince and the pain in her eyes as they touched her ribs and forced her to put weight on her leg.

Ice yanked her back, throwing a punch to Jon's jaw and knocking him to the ground. Max snatched up her crutch and swung it into his balls. Ice fell to the ground groaning in pain and Max punched him swiftly across the face, knocking him out. Thom struck Ty in the stomach and he hit back striking his nose.

The woman that was with Max held her back as she frantically tried to intervene.

"Max! No! It was a miracle you weren't hurt worse last time!"

"Then I can use my-" Max was cut short as Thom overheard their conversation.

"Max! Don't! Who knows what they will do to you?!"

Ty got his hands around Thom's neck while they talked and was slowly squeezing the life out of him.

"Drop him." A chilling voice said. Angel was standing behind him.

"Ha! I don't think so."

She brought up a gun and pressed it against his back, "You want to rethink that?"

A dagger flew through the air and embedded itself in Ty's leg. Everybody including Ty looked around in confusion. Who the hell had thrown that dagger?

"You might want to listen to her." Max growled.

"Nope! Not unless you have some fun with me." Does this weiner ever give up? Nope he never ever gave up in a fight for as long as I knew him.

He twirled around, ripping the gun out of Angel's hands. He took aim but before he could fire a dagger spun through the air and landed in Ty's hand. With a roar he dropped the gun and he dragged Ice back to the car.

"You'll pay for this bitch!" he spat.

As the car drove away I saw somebody incredibly familiar. Blade my second in command was in the car. Just sitting there, not doing anything. He raised his right wrist to me. The tattoo that should have been there had been burnt off. Blade was now no longer part of the gang. He had deserted. He was part of Ty's gang.

A flash of black caught my eye. The woman was helping Jon up and there was a tattoo wrapped around his wrist. A dragon. He was in the West gang.

_**I was going to stop here but I'm not that cruel : D**_

Max pulled Angel into a tight hug and told her never to do that again.

"Where the hell did you get a gun from anyways?!" She cried.

"Trunk." She stated simply. Max nodded as though that made sense to her. Well it sure didn't make any sense to me. "Besides there weren't any bullets in it."

"Still!"

Angel started to tear up and Max hugged her, "Sorry sweetie. I was just so scared that you would get hurt."

"Love you Sis." She whispered.

"Love you too."

"MAXIMUM RIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Dr M came stomping down, practically steaming in her anger.

"Where were you?!"

"Jeez calm down Dr M. I couldn't sleep so I went to Andrea's. We went to the movies and I guess I crashed on the couch." She shrugged her shoulders.

"Why don't you show everybody else around?" We all knew a dismissal when we hear one and this was definitely a 'we don't want you here' dismissal. We all trudged up stairs.

Max disappeared into Gazzy's bedroom and lay down on the bed next to him.

"Gazzy?" Max questioned. "I'm sorry."

"Go away."

"I'm sorry sweetie."

"You were supposed to be there when I woke up! You weren't! I thought you hated me!" He cried flinging his arms around her shoulders.

"I could never hate you." She dropped a kiss on his head as she tucked him in. "Night sweetie."

"Will you be here when I wake up?"

"Of course." She smiled a smile that dazzled me and made my heart race.

I followed her to her room. She was rummaging around in her chest of drawers looking for something.

"That wasn't the truth." It was a statement not a question.

She shut the drawer. "If you think I am going to tell it to you, you got another thing coming."

Wow. She was like the only girl that would refuse me something. ME.

"Leave."

"Whaa?"

"Yeah I'm kicking you out. Leave." She started pushing me out of the door using her crutch.

"Why?"

"I need to get changed."

It was only then I saw the skin tight girly clothes that looked soooooo good on her. She was wearing a denim miniskirt and a revealing red halter neck top that accentuated her curves.

"Right." I muttered my face as bright as a lobster. I didn't need to see her expression to know that I had been staring for too long.

I kind of wish I had looked up because then I would have seen the pretty blush that graced her cheeks as well.

"You can come back in." She called.

She was sitting on her bed dressed in shorts and a t-shirt saying Coheed and Cambria. She looked more beautiful than ever dressed like that. She looked like her.

"You like them too?" I said pointing to the shirt.

"Yeah."

That night was full of firsts for me.

It was the first time that I talked and talked and talked without having to be prompted.

It was the first time that I found someone who liked the exact same things as me.

It was the first time that I spent the night with a girl just talking not doing anything else.

It was the first time that I wished the night wouldn't end.

_**REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**_

_**Sorry for the late update. For some odd reason it took me a really long time to figure out what would happen in this chapter and then get it down on paper. **_

_**So plz review!!!!!!!!!**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Here we are. New chapter.**_

_**Disclaimer: I have a maths equation for you: Yippee!!!!! Don't worry its easy although depressing (to me anyway).**_

_**me who is not a middle aged man + writing Maximum Ride fan fiction = ???????**_

_**the writer of this story me = not James Patterson!!!!!**_

_**sadly **___

_**Enjoy!!**_

Fang's POV

When I woke up I was still in Max's room lying on her bed. Max had somehow curled herself into me. Her head was tucked underneath my chin and our legs were entwined (as much as they could be). My long arms were wrapped around her waist holding her close to me. I slowly started to move trying not to wake Max.

I was in the kitchen making hot chocolate, pondering and making a list. My list went something along the lines of this:

Max

Gang

Max

Blade, Ice, Ty, Max's father Jeb and how I was going to torture them for hurting the most beautiful being in the world.

Max

School

Max

How the hell I was going to break up with Lissa my bitchy girlfriend

Max

Max

Max

So yeah you get the picture. I heard steps on the stairs and smiled.

"Hey Max." I said trying hard to hide my smile but failing miserably. I turned around and there stood not Max but Nudge her step-sister.

"Hi Fang."

"Hi." I said turning back to making the hot chocolate. I wasn't being rude. It was just how I am.

"Can I have some?" She asked.

I nodded, pulling down a third cup and started making another round of hot chocolate.

Awkward tension filled the air. You are probably wondering, 'What's with this awkward atmosphere?' Let me give you a little bit of background.

I have known the Martinez's since I was little. Nudge developed quite a large crush on me over the years. She confessed early this year as a way to get rid of her crush on me so she could move onto the person she really cared about which was Iggy.

Yeah ever since then it has been extremely awkward and I think that she still has a slight crush on me.

"What's it like suddenly getting 2 new sisters?"

Nudge bounced, "It's really exciting! Angel's so cute!!!!!!! I really just want to take her shopping! I can just imagine her in all these adorable colours and outfits!- " She would have continued rambling but the sound of different footsteps distracted us.

Angel and Max descended down the stairs, Max coming down on her crutches with Angel in front of her. Angel carried a duffle bag that looked like it was stuffed to the brim.

"Max what are you doing up?" I asked.

Nudge's POV

No matter what I say to myself every time I see him the fact still stares me in the face. You still have a crush on him.

So it crushed my heart to see the way his eyes lit up as Max walked the stairs after Angel.

Max was a really pretty girl with long wavy blonde hair and the classic Martinez eyes. She was really tall with an amazing figure.

I hated her.

She had Fang drooling over her already and all the boys in school would be too.

"Max what are you doing up?" Fang asked.

"Fang. We normally get up at this time." Max laughed.

"Why?"

"I'm not telling you." She said walking towards the hot chocolate.

He suddenly scooped her up and held her against his chest.

"Fang!"

He laughed and carried her over to the couch ignoring all her protests and sat down the couch with her in his lap.

I was stunned Fang was smiling and … laughing. That was not normal.

"Now you are going to have to stay here until you tell me!"

"Now I'm definitely not telling you." Max said laughing.

She blushed when she released that she had virtually said that she would want to stay in Fang's arms forever.

This pissed me off and it was made worse when Gazzy ran down the stairs screaming, "She's gone! She broke her promise!"

I moved to comfort my brother although truthfully I had no idea what was wrong when Max's voice rang out.

"What's wrong Gazzy?" She inquired. My little brother broke out into a huge smile and the tears left his face.

"MAX!!!" He shouted flinging his arms around her neck. "I thought you had left."

"Didn't I promise that I would be here when you woke up?" She smiled and hugged him. He nodded against her neck.

"Maximum can I talk to you?"

We spun around to see my father waiting in the shadows.

Max POV

I was standing in my step dad's office waiting for him to say something. But he didn't say anything. He seemed just as overcome with memories as I was.

I sighed, "What do you want Mark? I have to go get ready for school."

"I want you to quit the gang."

_**Drum roll please…………………………………**_

_**Sorry its short but I wanted to get something out before exams started and I had to study seriously. I won't be writing for a while. I'll be back in a month most likely.**_

_**Soooooooooooooooooooooo there is a cliffy for you people to ponder.**_

_**R&R and also tell me who you want to get together with who.**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Hi guys. As explained in my previous author note I had exams sooooo that meant no updates. Sorry! I'd rather update than do exams trust me. And then we went away and writing sadly got swept to the side. But I am trying to update my stories as we speak but I have sort of reached a brick wall in a lot of them. **_

_**Anyway I thought I'd give approximate ages and details like that.**_

_**Max – 16, blonde hair, brown eyes, pale skin**_

_**Family: Jeb (Dad), Mark (Stepdad), Dr Martinez (Mom), Angel (half sister (dad's side)), Ella (half sister (Mom's side)), Nudge (step sister (Mom)), Gazzy (step brother (Mom))**_

_**Fang – 16, black hair, olive skin, black eyes, looks like his mom **_

_**Family: James (Dad deceased), Elena (Mom), Iggy (brother)**_

_**Iggy – 16, strawberry blonde hair, blue eyes, pale skin, looks like his Dad**_

_**Family: James (Dad deceased), Elena (Mom), Fang (brother)**_

_**Nudge – 16, brown hair, dark skin, brown eyes, looks like her mum **_

_**Family: Mark (Dad), Dr Martinez (Mom), Ella (Step sister (Dad)), Gazzy (brother), Max (stepsister (Dad))**_

_**Gazzy - 6, brown hair, blue eyes, pale skin, looks like his dad**_

_**Family: Mark (Dad), Dr Martinez (Mom), Ella (Step sister (Dad)), Nudge (sister), Max (stepsister (Dad))**_

_**Angel - 7, blonde hair, blue eyes, pale skin**_

_**Family: Mother (died in childbirth), Jeb (Dad), Max (half-sister)**_

_**I know I mucked around with the ages a bit, but that's just the best way they fit with the story. **_

_**Okay I will now end this ridiculously long A/N with the usual: I don't own Maximum Ride. **_

* * *

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! TELLING ME TO QUIT MY OWN GANG, WHICH MY I REMIND YOU, YOU INTRODUCED ME TO?!?!?!?"

His head bowed as I forced him to remember the day we met.

_Flashback_

"You bitch! You were supposed to clean the house today!" The shouts of Jeb echoed through the ramshackle house that was my home, the walls vibrating with his fury. Yet the house was quiet. It was just me and Jeb at home. He hadn't brought along his entourage of drinking friends, prostitutes and/or his fellow scientists from work.

Jeb had a good job in a research lab. He made lots of money but he never used it on the house or anything other than beer. His boss had found out that he beat me and she gave me a small bank account in return that I helped out at the lab. It was just average stuff, filing and whatnot. She didn't want to lose her best scientist nor did the rest of his colleagues but they couldn't stand by and do nothing. So they all donate a little bit of their salaries each month. That is the only reason why I have survived this long.

I rolled my skinny 9 year old body off the bed and landed agilely on my feet. I have always been agile. I think its something to do with living with Jeb as a father.

"I just got home from school, Dad." I inwardly cringed as I used the word Dad. I never ever thought of Jeb as my dad.

He came in 3 empty bottles of beer and a base ball bat clutched in his hand. "Don't talk back to me." He hissed, beer breath wafting over me.

"I wasn't-" I was cut off by the sound of something slicing through the air and striking my head. I felt my head being smashed against the window. _Duck_, a voice whispered. As I ducked and fell to the floor I heard the shattering of the window as the baseball bat crashed into it. Everything went kind of fuzzy. I blinked a few times, trying to regain my eyesight as I heard the tinkle of broken glass fall around me.

"Stand up, you bitch." I scrambled to my feet as fast as I could but it wasn't fast enough. His hands wrapped around my throat and started squeezing the air out of my lungs.

"When I tell you to do something, you do it. Understand?" I nodded as much as I could whilst scratching at his hands.

But he wouldn't let go until I said something. "DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" He roared shaking me.

I could feel myself slowing turning blue from lack of oxygen. So I did the only thing that I could do. I pulled a shard of glass out from my hand and sliced his wrist.

"YOU BITCH!!" He yelled in outrage dropping me to the ground. I lay there gasping not caring about the shards of glass that cut into me. I took one look at Jeb and ran out of the door.

I ran, my breath coming in gasps, my heart pounding in time with my feet. Where could I go?

A voice in the back of my head whispered, _He's not your only parent. _Mom. Dr Martinez.

My feet were torn to ribbons and my head was pounding with a migraine. I rang the door bell, like I had 100 times before on this night.

_Why do all the east people feel the need to have the same doorbells as everyone else?_

The door opened and a man appeared, his face tired but he was still dressed in work clothes.

"Does Dr. Martinez live here?" I asked.

"Why? Who are you?" The man asked. Most people would say his voice was frightening but I had grown up with Jeb for a father so it didn't scare me. Not at all.

"Her daughter."

There was a silence as he processed this. "Sorry, I'm not buying it." He said gruffly closing the door on me. He obviously hadn't seen my wounds yet.

I stepped into the light so he could see the ring of bruises around my neck, the ripped clothes and cuts from the glass.

"Please help." Then I pulled a trick I refuse to ever do again because somehow although it works at the beginning it always comes back to bite me in the butt. I used the puppy dog eyes.

"Alright." The man opened the door grudgingly.

I followed him through to the kitchen where he gave me the necessary things to clean myself up with.

"You're from the west, aren't you?"

"Yes sir."

"Alright. What are we going to do with you? I'll get into so much trouble with the boys over here if you live in my house. So you can't stay here."

He lent back in his chair and continued to think aloud.

"It might be useful to have someone of high status in the Dragons **(A/N: that's the west from now on. It's really annoying having to write the west gang all the time and its really clunky) **though. That way they can protect me if I get into trouble with the boys over here."

He seemed to like this idea. Standing up suddenly, he growled at me, "Get up kid. We're going out."

The man grabbed me by my elbow, hauled me out of the door and into his car. He started driving the way I came. That very same stretch of highway that tore my feet up into ribbons of flesh. The highway to hell.

"By the way kiddo, my name's Mark and I am your Mum's boyfriend."

_Great._

We pulled up at an old abandoned warehouse.

"Hands up and get out of the car." A voice growled, pressing a gun to the window.

Mark started slightly but otherwise portrayed no emotion. "Luka." He said nodding at the person outside.

"Out."

He shook his head, "Sorry, out doesn't really agree with me."

"How about this? Out or I'll blow the girl's brains out." A man appeared on my side of the window. The dragon tattoo on his wrist seemed to writhe and move of its own accord in the moonlight.

"The girl's a child! Think with your brain and not your ego for once, James!" The first voice shouted.

"Fine. Can I blow his brains out then, Luka?" James yelled. I have a feeling that he is a wee bit trigger happy.

"What the hell did I just say?!"

He grumbled a little and grudgingly moved to turn the safety back on. Mark opened the door and threw a punch to Luka's head. Unfortunately Luka merely stepped back and Mark fell on the ground. She yanked him up and pressed the gun to his head. James reached into the car, grabbed me by the back of my neck and started walking in the direction of the warehouse.

"Boss. These are the two intruders who want to talk to you."

The boss was an 18 yr old guy with platinum blonde hair that was tied into a pony tail and a tattoo of a dragon that encompassed one side of his face. The dragon's tail ended at his chin and the head was curled over one eye. It's open jaws and bared teeth, located between his eyes, were designed to strike fear into the hearts of all. And it worked. Even growing up with Jeb did not prevent me from the terror that this man instilled in my heart.

"What do you want?" He said taking out a cigarette and collapsing into an old overstuffed velvet armchair. It looked so out of place in that room.

"This child came to my house. She was being abused by her stepfather. I was wondering if you would take her in and teach her self defense."

The man leant back, "As I recall, you yourself used to be quite the expert at fighting. Why don't you teach her?"

"She's from this side of the seam! I can't! I have a family! I have 2 daughters aged 7 and 6. I can't teach someone who is the sworn enemy without harming my family!"

"So this child is not important?! Is that what you are saying?!" He roared. Standing up he stood at least 6 foot 5 and he towered over Mark letting his height scare him.

"N - n - no." Mark stuttered.

"You know what, I will take in the child like you suggested. To protect her and to prove to you that every child is important no matter with side of the seam they come from."

He knelt in front of me and asked, "What is your name?"

"What's it to you?" I asked defensively.

Laughing he said, "My name is Jay but my gang name is Con."

"Maximum Ride."

He grinned. It wasn't a scary grin; it was a more heartfelt grin that showed all his teeth.

"Welcome to the Dragons kid."

Mark drove me back. "This never happened. If it comes out that you are in the Dragons, then you never mention me. If you do the East and I will make your life hell. Worse then what you're going through now."

I nodded and got out.

"Remember kiddo. I have dirt on you. If you want your little secret to stay secret, you do whatever I tell you."

I nodded again. And he smiled. He hadn't expected anything less. After all there was a rule in the Dragons. Never let anyone else know that you are a member. You are just putting yourself, the people and other members in danger.

With that smile playing on his lips he drove off, leaving me on the highway. A Dragons member on the wrong side of the seam.

_End flashback._

Mark rubbed his shoulder absently as he remembered. It was a parting gift from one of the Dragons. He put a bullet through his shoulder. They had to keep up the appearance.

"So no. I will not quit my gang just because you told me to."

"Max -"

"Don't 'Max' me. I am sick of doing things for you Mark. I am sick of being your puppet."

He opened his mouth to protest but I held up a hand.

"I know that you can make my life miserable here by telling everyone that I'm in the Dragons. But I don't care. I have lived 15 years of my life in a place that truly is hell on earth."

"You had me lie to my mother about important things like the night you took me to the Dragons. I told her you turned me away."

I turned and walked down the stairs as fast as I could (which was about as slow as a snail's pace).

"Maximum!" He yelled.

"Don't even think about stopping me. I have much more dirt on you than you do on me, Mark. Just think about that."

When I got downstairs the place was deserted. Everybody had gone to school. I had never felt more alone in my life.

I had to get out of that house. It almost made me wish I was back with Jeb in the west. I would be a hell of a lot easier. I wanted to leave. I was ready to leave. But I couldn't. I had to give Angel the best chance I could of living a normal life.

I pulled out my phone and started dialing.

"_Max?"_

"Hey Andrea. Do you mind if I spend the day at your place?"

"_Not at all. Do you need a lift?"_

"A lift would be great. Thanks."

"_Okay. I'll be there in a few."_

That's a thing I love about Andrea; she doesn't ask questions. 10 minutes later she arrived in her big red 4wd.

"What do you want to do? It's my day off today."

I shrugged.

"Alright then let's have a girls day. Manicure, pedicure, hair, makeup, shoes, lingerie, jewelry, clothes, full massage, facial -"

She kept going on and on but I wasn't paying any attention, because by now I was screaming.

"Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

_**So there we have it. The story of what truly happened that night instead of the edited version that Max gave Dr M. Next chapter the owner of 'The Mysterious Jaw' will be revealed. **_

_**Also I need some help. What symbol should the East gang have? Tell me what you want and I will pick the best two options. I get you guys to vote on which one next chapter. **_

_**Thanks and sorry for the delay! R&R!**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**I am so sorry for this **__**uber**__**-late update! I had the chapter written but I couldn't update because I was busy all holidays and then it was study time as soon as I got back to school. But I've finished them so now I am free to write!**_

_**And the East End symbol is going to be – drum roll please – one of these three!**_

_**Wolf**_

_**Raven**_

_**Snake**_

_**When you review tell me which one you want it to be. **_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride**_

_**Enjoy!**_

3rd Person POV

Whispers filled the air as a strange new girl got on to the school bus. She was on crutches and her leg was in a cast. Hoveringly closely behind her, watching for any sign that she would fall was Ella Martinez, a teacher's pet kind of girl.

"Max! You could have just got a lift with Mark and Nudge. It would be a lot easier for you."

Max shook her head as she continued down the aisle, a look of concentration plastered on her face. "And be surrounded by people who hate me? I don't think so."

The students that currently inhabited the shuddering tin can that somehow managed to pass for a school bus talked amongst themselves. Nudge hated her? The popular, beautiful Nudge? School was guaranteed to be hell for Maximum Ride after she said these words.

"Why aren't you in the car with them then?"

"Because according to Nudge that would be social suicide for her! And also someone needs to catch you if you fall. I doubt Angel could." Ella said pointing to the little girl behind her.

"I so could!" She piped up, her little blonde head peering around from behind Ella. The students looked at Angel, in all her seven-year-old glory and thought one thing.

_There is no way in hell that she could catch her._

Max and Angel merely shared a smile. They both knew that she was much stronger than she looked.

Max continued up the aisle on her crutches wishing desperately that she didn't have to use the damn things. She plopped down on the back seat tired as hell and fell asleep.

Max POV

The bus lurched to a stop in the school's car park, throwing me forward. The only reason why I didn't fly down the aisle was because of Ella and Angel and their wise choice in holding onto me. Everybody spilled out of the bus immediately going to the places where they belonged. Angel went off to the younger kids, not before giving me a kiss on the cheek and whispering, "Try not to get into any trouble," in my ear. Ella went off to her band of smart people who were on the school council. And I was left alone - surrounded by stereotypes.

You had the geeks, wearing their giant glasses and jumpers, discussing theories. You had the straight A students; they were the ones on the student council. You had the musicians, strumming their guitars. The jesters with their bombs, jokes and pranks. And then there was them.

The populars.

The people that were a living reminder of what you can never ever be like. The ultimate image of perfection. Great.

I looked at their group and I saw a person I had not expected to see; Fang with a red-headed girl on each arm. He wasn't talking to them and although his expression was blank his eyes looked so pained and tortured that I thought I'd better go save him.

"Knight in shining armour! Are you going to come help me or not?" I yelled. The relief in his eyes when he left them was so funny that I burst out laughing and everybody looked at me weirdly.

He nodded.

"Man of many words I see."

He glared at me.

"Fangypoos!" One of the redheads from before ran up to us and clung onto Fang. "Aren't you going to introduce us?"

"Max this is Lissa, my girlfriend. Lissa this is Max." He turned his back on us as somebody else yelled out his name.

"You are going to stay away from Fang. He's my boyfriend." She hissed, leaning forward as close as she could get.

"Sorry I can't do that. I'm sort of crippled."

Her mouth was wide open and she looked like a fish. "You might want to shut your mouth. It's not very becoming."

She stalked off dragging Fang behind her. Fang shot me an apologetic look while trying to calm his girlfriend down.

"And there goes the worst couple in the history of the world." A voice came from behind me.

I turned around and came face to face with Iggy.

"As one Knight abandons me another appears!" I cried dramatically.

"Where's the princess I saved? All I see is a cripple!" Iggy joined in, searchingly vainly for his imaginary princess.

"Yeah well you are stuck with the cripple for a while."

"Aw, but the cripple's so much more fun." He said wrapping an arm around my shoulders, "Nice tattoo. It mean anything?" He asked.

I look down at my wrist. I didn't need to. I already knew which tattoo it was. At least I hoped it wasn't the one that showed my allegiance to the Dragons. A red rose with black swirls around it was what he was looking at.

I shrugged, "I got it when I was 12."

_Flashback_

I was in the shed hiding from Jeb. Well really I was hiding from the police who had - finally! - decided to talk to Jeb about the state of our house. They were saying that some neighbour had complained about the smell and state of our house. Funny isn't it? The neighbours can ignore two kids screaming bloody murder yet they can't seem to ignore the smell of booze coming from our house every day. I suppose that they just tell themselves that it's just the new baby (even though she's three). Don't know how they explain the swear words coming out of our house every night.

Somebody screamed and I was forced to remember Angel, my sweet sister. She was probably still sleeping.

I scrambled out from underneath the boxes and made a sprint for the house. Jeb had told me to stay there and he had even locked Angel in a room while he talked to the cops.

I can only imagine what the cops thought when I burst out of that shed. I was skinny 12 year old kid who looked more like 10 because of my diet and lifestyle. I was wearing a tank top and ripped up cargo shorts, barefoot and I looked like a pig in pigsty.

"Hey get her!"

But whatever they thought, they started to chase after me. One of them made a grab for the back of my t-shirt. The woman tried to stick her foot out and trip me up, but I leapt over her foot and ran up the stairs to my house.

I ran through the corridor listening for any sounds that would tell me where my sister was hidden.

The police ran through the house, their shoes thumping on the wooden floor. I slipped on the torn, threadbare carpet, one of the very few indicators that our house used to be actually nice and inhabitable.

Their boots pounded in time with my beating heart.

"We're not going to hurt you!" The woman shouted as she tried to get me to stop running. Pssh yeah right like I am going to believe that. Pull the other one lady, it's got bells on!

But I refused to give them the satisfaction of getting an answer out of me. The woman started to close in on me. The other one, the man, was tiring and puffing, his face red and his portly belly wobbling like jelly.

"Run on without me!" The police man yelled.

"You sure Andy?"

He waved a hand tiredly in response. Finally I heard a scream. The basement! Why didn't I think of it before? I turned around quickly and started running back down the corridor. Surprise flitted across the woman's face but she quickly recovered and stood in the middle of the corridor waiting to grab me. _Gotcha now_ was fixed on her face.

Another scream pierced the air. Crap. I really needed to get to Angel. She gets scared if she wakes up without me there. But how? The stupid police woman was blocking my way.

Maybe...? A thought struck me. I looked down at my feet and down at her. Yes this could work.

"Please miss. I really need to leave. Please let me pass." I turned on the dreaded bambi eyes. I hate using the bambi eyes.

"Sorry kid. I can't let you do that."

"Why not?"I said innocently as I backed up.

"I need your details. You shouldn't be living in a place like this."

I put on a mask of horror. "You aren't going to take me away from my dad are you?" I nearly choked as I said the word Dad.

"Sorry sweetie." She said kindly.

I ducked down and pretended to cry. My hands grasped the end of the threadbare carpet. I stepped backwards and pulled. The carpet came shooting out from underneath her feet and she fell back, stunned.

Well that was the _idea..._

It didn't really happen like that.

There was a giant tearing sound as the old carpet ripped where she was standing. _Oh crap. _We both stared at the giant tear in the rug. The police woman looked up suddenly anger was displayed on her face. I started running again and so did she. There was an almighty crash as the police woman fell through the floor and the rotted floorboard. I skidded to a stop, concerned.

"Maria," Her partner whispered. "I'll get you if it's the last thing I do." He hissed at me.

There was another scream, this one higher, more awake. Damn it. I couldn't get to her in time.

I vaulted over the gap and sprinted down the hallway. Turn right, down the stairs, turn left and down the stairs again.

"Let go of me!"

I burst into the basement to see my sister fighting off a police man. I leapt into action and punched the man in the nose. I brought my knee up and smashed it into his groin. The result? Angel was free and the police man was groaning on the floor in pain.

I grabbed Angel's hand and ran back to the front of the house. Andy (I think that was his name) had made his way downstairs but had collapsed at the stairs. Something wasn't right.

"Angel, run." I didn't need to tell her to stay hidden or where to go. She nodded and left.

I knelt beside Andy and gently turned him over. His skin was white and his heart beat was very slow and almost nonexistent.

Okay what to do? Probably a heart attack so I have to make his heart beat again somehow and breathe.

Breathe out twice, pump for 30 and continue.

This is going to be a long night.

Finally I got his heart going again. I sat him up and just stared at him.

"Whaa- what happened?" He asked blearily.

"Your heart stopped beating." I said shrugging, as if this was normal.

"Who got it to start again?"

"I did."

"Why the hell would you do that? You caused serious injuries to my partner!" He exclaimed.

"I didn't mean to. I just wanted to get past her or knock her out. I didn't know that, that would happen." I got up to leave and was about to climb out of the window when he stopped me

"Wait -," He started, "How can I thank you?"

I thought about for a moment. "Can you make it so that you never saw me and my sister here? I really don't want to be separated from my sister which is bound to happen."

I climbed out of the window without waiting for a reply. As I jumped out I heard him say, "Alright. I will."

I arrived later at the park. It had an old abandoned tree house that was crumbling down. Not a lot of people know about which makes it the perfect meeting place. Angel was there playing with Cattie, another Dragons member.

"Hey. The Dragons are attacking the Stone family. I know you have a friend there. I thought you would want to know."

I looked up in confusion, "Why are they attacking the Stone family?"

"They're providing information to the East. Also they were the ones that called about your house."

"How the hell do you know about what happened at my house?"I asked.

"James came to tell you to get out of there because Emmett was in the police station and over heard them talking with Mr Stone about your house. We went over there but we were too late."

She shrugged her shoulders and stood up. "Look if you want your friend to survive then you have got to get her out of there."

"Thanks Cattie."

We gave each other a hug for good luck and started sprinting opposite ways. I was running to the Stone's and she was running to Headquarters. Angel was in her arms as she tried to get her to a safer place.

I rung the doorbell and waited anxiously. I tried the door and found it unlocked. I opened it up and...

...ended up looking down the silver barrel of a gun.

"Hi...um I was looking for Abbey?"

"Stick out your wrists." I obliged and plastered a scared expression on my face.

"What is wrong? Why is all this happening?" I asked as I was announced 'clear' and was handed over to a police woman.

"It's nothing to worry about sweetheart. Just some pre-cautionary checks that we have to do." She led me into a room and locked the doors. "Now you are going to have to take your clothes off - "

I put my hand up cutting her off. "Um no. Listen lady. I may not look my age but I am smart and I know that you never ever take your clothes off in front of a person who has locked the doors. Sorry but no."

"You just need to take your top off."

"No."

"Please. I just need to check something."

"No."

"Please?"

Damn this lady was getting on my nerves. I clenched my hand into a fist smashed it into her jaw making her reel backwards in surprise and knock herself out as she hit the floor. I bent down and checked that she was still breathing and that she wouldn't die of blood loss.

I had never been so thankful for Jay's annoying rule of 'you can't get a tattoo till I die'.

"Abbey?" I whispered creeping up the stairs.

"Abbey!"I yelled as I caught sight of my friend in her parent's bedroom. We gave each other massive hug.

"Max! What are you doing here?" She asked sitting on the bed next to me.

"I decided to randomly come and visit."

_Come on Max, like she's going to buy that. You live on the other side of the city._

"What's with all the police?" I asked peering out the window.

She sighed, "The Dragons are apparently going to attack us because Dad thought that it would be good idea to give secrets to the East."

So it was true.

A flash of light caught my eye. Someone was holding up a mirror and giving a signal. The Dragons were coming.

"Abbey!"I grabbed her arm and ran, "The Dragons are here."

We ran outside and hid in the shed. I ran out again, yelling to Abbey that I had forgotten something. Really I intended to fight.

I had just reached the fight when Jay grabbed me by my elbow.

"What are you doing?" He yelled.

"Playing with magical rainbows! What does it look like?"

"Max listen to me. Hide and don't come out until you know the fight has definitely ended."

He shoved me back into the shed and with a roar he dove back into the fight.

"Con! Let me out!" I yelled beating my fists against the shed. I tried turning the handle but he obviously had locked it as well.

I heard whimpers coming from behind me. I turned around and there was Abbey crying. We held onto each other, comforting the other.

I sat there, hoping everybody would survive, and wishing that the sounds of fighting would stop.

But they didn't. They just kept on going and going.

Light streamed into the shed as someone opened it up. I blinked unable to see.

"Max."

"Cattie!" I yelled jumping out and giving her a hug, "Where is Jay?"

Their faces turned even more sombre and I knew what they were going to say before they said it.

He was dead.

My mentor, my friend, the closest thing I had to a father figure was dead.

"You know what happens next right?" Luka asked. I nodded.

The next leader was chosen but they can't be someone who has already sworn their allegiance to the Dragons. Meaning they can't have a Dragon tattoo.

Who – Oh wait. I was the only person without a tattoo and Jay had said "you can't get a tattoo till I die".

Damn.

Abbey crawled out of the shed and saw me talking with the Dragons.

"Get away from them - " She broke off mid sentence when she saw Cattie hug me. The dragon tattoo was clearly displayed on her forearm.

"You're part of the Dragons."She whispered horrified.

"Abbey listen..." I tried to explain.

"Get away from me, you murderer!" She cried as she ran off. That was the last time I saw Abbey.

I was sitting in Emmett's tattoo parlour. His sister, Luka, is in the Dragons and so he does all of our tattoos. I had already chosen my Dragon tattoo, but I was looking for something else.

I spotted a red rose with black swirls around it.

"That one please Emmett."

Yes that one would do well.

I looked at it and whispered, "I will always remember you Jay."

_End Flashback_

Tears had gathered in the corners of my eyes and Iggy was shaking me out of me memories.

"Max?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry if I made you remember bad things."

I looked up at Iggy, tearing my gaze and thoughts away from the tattoo. "Nah it's all good Iggy."

The bell rang and Iggy looked at me, "This is going to be one interesting year Max."

_**I'll try and make the delay between chapters shorter from now on but it might not always happen.**_

_**Review please! And don't forget to say what you want the East side symbol to be out of the Wolf, the Raven and the Snake. If you don't tell me what the symbol should be then your favourite may not get it. **_

_**So R&R please!**_


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